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Background: Breast cancer is the common cancer in China. In previous study, we determined that 3,6-dihydroxyflavone (3,6-DHF) increases miR-34a significantly in breast carcinogenesis, but the mechanism remains unclear.Methods: We used qRT-PCR to analyze miR-34a and ten-eleven translocation (TET)1, TET2, TET3 levels in breast cancer cells. With a cellular breast carcinogenesis model and an experimental model of carcinogenesis in rats, TET1 levels were evaluated by western blot analysis and immunofluorescence. TET1 and 5hmC (5-hydroxymethylcytosine) levels were evaluated by immunofluorescence in nude mouse xenografts of MDA-MB-231 cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation(ChIP) assayed for TET1 on the TET1 promoter, and dot blot analysis of DNA 5hmC was performed in MDA-MB-231 cells. We evaluated the mechanism of 3,6-DHF on the expression of tumor suppressor miR-34a by transfecting them with DNA methyltransferase (DNMT)1 plasmid and TET1 siRNA in breast cancer cells. Methylation-specific PCR detected methylation of the miR-34a promoter.Results: First, we found that 3,6-DHF promotes the expression of TET1 during carcinogen-induced breast carcinogenesis in MCF10A cells and in rats. 3,6-DHF also increased TET1 and 5hmC levels in MDA-MB-231 cells. Further study indicated that TET1 siRNA and pcDNA3/Myc-DNMT1 inhibited the 3,6-DHF reactivation effect on expression of miR-34a in breast cancer cells. Methylation-specific PCR assays indicated that TET1 siRNA and pcDNA3/Myc-DNMT1 inhibit the effect of 3,6-DHF on the demethylation of the miR-34a promoter.Conclusions: Our study showed that 3,6-DHF effectively increases TET1 expression by inhibiting DNMT1 and DNA hypermethylation, and consequently up-regulates miR-34a in breast carcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypersecretion of amylin is common in individuals with prediabetes, causes amylin deposition and proteotoxicity in pancreatic islets, and contributes to the development of type 2 diabetes. Recent studies also identified amylin deposits in failing hearts from patients with obesity or type 2 diabetes and demonstrated that hyperamylinemia accelerates the development of heart dysfunction in rats expressing human amylin in pancreatic β-cells (HIP rats). To further determine the impact of hyperamylinemia on cardiac myocytes, we investigated human myocardium, compared diabetic HIP rats with diabetic rats expressing endogenous (nonamyloidogenic) rat amylin, studied normal mice injected with aggregated human amylin, and developed in vitro cell models. We found that amylin deposition negatively affects cardiac myocytes by inducing sarcolemmal injury, generating reactive aldehydes, forming amylin-based adducts with reactive aldehydes, and increasing synthesis of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β) independently of hyperglycemia. These results are consistent with the pathological role of amylin deposition in the pancreas, uncover a novel contributing mechanism to cardiac myocyte injury in type 2 diabetes, and suggest a potentially treatable link of type 2 diabetes with diabetic heart disease. Although further studies are necessary, these data also suggest that IL-1β might function as a sensor of myocyte amylin uptake and a potential mediator of myocyte injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) plays a crucial role in cancer progression, which is regulated by the interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF1) and up-streaming Akt activation. The present study evaluated the chemopreventive effects of delphinidin-3-glucoside (Dp), a major anthocyanin present in pigmented fruits and vegetables, on breast carcinogenesis, and investigate the role of the Akt/HOTAIR signaling pathway.Methods: Human breast epithelial cells MCF10A were treated with carcinogens (NNK and B[a]P) or co-treated with carcinogens plus Dp for 30 days. Then, the cancer-associated properties of the treated cells were evaluated to assess the carcinogenesis and the effects of Dp. HOTAIR levels were detected by qRT-PCR. The proteins expression was measured by western blots, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry. Xenografted tumors were made by implanting breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231-Luc-GFP in athymic mice. ChIP-qPCR analysis was used to detect the IRF1 binding to the HOTAIR promoter.Results: Carcinogens treatment induces apparent carcinogenic transformation in MCF10A cells including reduced dependence on growth factors, anchorage-independent cell growth and aberrant wound-healing ability, which is effectively suppressed by Dp co-treatment. The level of HOTAIR significantly increases in a time-dependent manner during chronic breast carcinogenesis. Dp treatment down-regulates HOTAIR expression in breast carcinogenesis and breast cancer cells. Furthermore, Dp administration inhibits the growth of xenografted breast tumors in athymic mice, and decreases HOTAIR in vivo. Further studies showed that Dp represses Akt activation, promotes IRF1 expression and increases IRF1 binding to the HOTAIR promoter. Silence of IRF1 expression via transfecting cells with IRF1 siRNAs significantly reduced the effects of Dp on HOTAIR, resulting in decreased cytotoxic effects of Dp on breast cancer cells.Conclusions: These data suggest the effective chemopreventive effect of Dp on breast carcinogenesis, in which down-regulation of HOTAIR plays a critical role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the static load tests of two reinforced concrete (RC) beams without fire, two RC beams after fire and four RC beams strengthened with CFRP sheet after fire, the effects of shear span ratio, CFRP sheet usage and flange on the strengthening shear behavior of RC beams after fire were analyzed. Using a self-developed finite element program, the average reduction coefficient of concrete tensile strength of beam section after fire and repaired with equal dimensions was calculated, and a practical calculation method for shear strength of RC beams strengthened with CFRP sheet after fire was proposed. The results show that rupture failure occurs in fully-wrapped CFRP sheet and debonding failure occurs in the U-wrapped CFRP sheet with additional anchoring. The shear strength of concrete rectangular beams firstly exposed to fire and then fully-wrapped with CFRP sheet is higher than, about 5. 3% -16. 6%, that of the unfired one. The shear strength of concrete T-shaped beams firstly exposed to fire and then U-wrapped CFRP sheet with additional anchoring is increased about 34. 0% compared with that of the corresponding unfired rectangular beam. The proposed formula for the shear strength of RC beams strengthened with CFRP sheet after fire has certain safety margin ratio, and can be used to calculate the strengthened shear performance of that member after fire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Control over phase stabilities during synthesis processes is of great importance for both fundamental studies and practical applications. We describe herein a facile strategy for the synthesis of Cu2Se with phase selectivity through a simple solvothermal method. In the presence and absence of SbCl3, monoclinic α-Cu2Se and cubic β-Cu2Se can be synthesized, respectively. The formation of α-Cu2Se requires optimization of the Cu/Se molar ratio in the starting reagents, the reaction temperature, as well as the timing for the addition of SbCl3. Differential scanning calorimetry of the synthesized α-Cu2Se has shown that a part of it undergoes a phase transition to β-Cu2Se at 135 °C, and that this phase transition is irreversible on cooling to ambient temperature. Kinetic studies have revealed that in the presence of Sb species the kinetically favored β-Cu2Se transforms to the thermodynamically favored α-Cu2Se. In this β-to-α phase transition process, the distribution of Cu ions in β-Cu2Se, as determined by the Cu/Se ratio and temperature, is likely to play a crucial role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Naturally occurring xanthan gum (XG) for preparation of Fe3O4@SiO2–XG composites. [•] Magnetic switchable composites for property of convenient solid/liquid separation. [•] Non-toxic XG immobilized on magnetic Fe3O4 particles through TEOS sol–gel reaction. [•] XG adopted as active sites for adsorptive removal of Pb2+ from aqueous solution. [•] The composites reutilized and Pb2+ reused in battery wastewater by 0.05molL−1 HCl. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The strong spin–orbit coupling along with broken inversion symmetry in transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) results in spin polarized valleys, which are the origins of many interesting properties such as Ising superconductivity, circular dichroism, valley Hall effect, etc. Herein, it is shown that encapsulating few‐layer MoS2 between hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) and gating the electrical contacts by ionic liquid pronounce Shubnikov–de Haas (SdH) oscillations in magnetoresistance. Notably, the SdH oscillations remain unchanged in tilted magnetic fields, demonstrating that the spins of the Q/Q′ valleys are firmly locked to the out‐of‐plane direction; therefore, Zeeman energy is insensitive to the in‐plane magnetic field. Ionic liquid gating induces superconductivity on the surface of unencapsulated MoS2. The spins of Cooper pairs are strongly pinned to the out‐of‐plane direction by the effective Zeeman field, hence are protected from being realigned by an in‐plane magnetic field, namely, Ising protection. As a result, superconductivity persists in an in‐plane magnetic field up to 14 T, in which Tc only decreases by ≈0.3 K from Tc0 as ≈7 K. By applying back gate, the strength of Ising protection can be effectively tuned, where an increase in 70% is observed when back gate changes from +90 to −90 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postbiotics are defined as "preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host". Postbiotics have unique advantages over probiotics, such as stability, safety, and wide application. Although postbiotics are research hotspots, the research on them is still very limited. This review provides comprehensive information on the scope of postbiotics, the preparation methods of inanimate microorganisms, and the application and mechanisms of postbiotics in metabolic syndrome (MetS). Furthermore, the application trends of postbiotics in the food industry are reviewed. It was found that postbiotics mainly include inactivated microorganisms, microbial lysates, cell components, and metabolites. Thermal treatments are the main methods to prepare inanimate microorganisms as postbiotics, while non-thermal treatments, such as ionizing radiation, ultraviolet light, ultrasound, and supercritical CO2, show great potential in postbiotic preparation. Postbiotics could ameliorate MetS through multiple pathways including the modulation of gut microbiota, the enhancement of intestinal barrier, the regulation of inflammation and immunity, and the modulation of hormone homeostasis. Additionally, postbiotics have great potential in the food industry as functional food supplements, food quality improvers, and food preservatives. In addition, the SWOT analyses showed that the development of postbiotics in the food industry exists both opportunities and challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Development of high-performance metal sulfides anode materials is a great challenge for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). In this work, a cobalt-based imidazolate framework (ZIF-67) were firstly synthesized and applied as precursor. After the successive surface etching, ion exchange and sulfidation processes, the final cobalt-vanadium sulfide yolk-shell nanocages were obtained (CoS 2 /VS 4 @NC) with VS 4 shell and CoS 2 yolk encapsulated into nitrogen doped carbon frameworks. This yolk-shell nanocage structure effectively increases the specific surface area and provides enough space for inhibiting the volume change during charge/discharge processes. Besides, the nitrogen doped carbon skeleton greatly improves the ionic conductivity and facilitates ion transport. When used as the anode materials for SIBs, the yolk-shell nanocages of CoS 2 /VS 4 @NC electrode exhibits excellent rate capability and stable cycle performance. Notably, it displays a long-term cycling stability with excellent capacity of 417.28 mA h g−1 after 700 cycles at a high current density of 5 A/g. This developed approach here provides a new route for the design and synthesis of various yolk-shell nanocages nanomaterials from enormous MOFs with multitudinous compositions and morphologies and can be extended to the application into other secondary batteries and energy storage fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I-III-VI2 compounds have shown great interests in the application of functional semiconductors. Among them, Cu(In,Ga)S2 has been a promising candidate due to its excellent optoelectronic properties. Although the polymorphs of Cu(In,Ga)S2 have been attracted extensive attentions, the efforts to developing the methodologies for phase-controlled synthesis of them are rare. In this paper, we reported a phase-selective synthesis of CIGS nanoparticles with metastable phases via simply changing the composition of solvents. For the wet chemistry synthesis, the microstructure of the initial nuclei is decisive to the crystal structure of final products. In the formation of Cu(In,Ga)S2, the solvent environment is the key factor, which could affect the coordination of monomers and influence the thermodynamic conditions of Cu-S nucleation. Moreover, wurtzite and zincblende Cu(In,Ga)S2 nanoparticles are selectively prepared by choosing pure en or its mixture with deionized water as reaction solvent. The as-synthesized wurtzite Cu(In,Ga)S2 possess a band gap of 1.6 eV and a carrier mobility of 4.85 cm2/Vs, which indicates its potential to construct a heterojunction with hexagonal-structured CdS for solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We have previously demonstrated the anticancer effect of anthocyanins. In this study, we explored the biological activities of delphinidin, the most common of the anthocyanidin monomers, that were related to autophagy in HER-2 positive breast cancer MDA-MB-453 and BT474 cells.Methods: The effects of various doses of delphinidin on the proliferation and apoptosis of MDA-MB-453 and BT474 cells were analysed. Autophagy was identified as a critical factor that influenced chemotherapy, and the autophagic mechanism in delphinidin-treated cells was investigated. The autophagy inhibitors, 3-MA and BA1, were used to analyse the effects of autophagy inhibition.Results: Delphinidin inhibited proliferation, promoted apoptosis, and induced autophagy in MDA-MB-453 and BT474 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition of autophagy enhanced the delphinidin-induced apoptosis and antiproliferative effect in both HER-2 positive breast cancer cells. In addition, delphinidin induced autophagy via suppression of the mTOR signalling pathway and activation of the AMPK signalling pathway in HER-2 positive breast cancer cells.Conclusions: Collectively, the results showed that delphinidin induced apoptosis and autophagy in HER-2 positive breast cancer cells and that autophagy was induced via the mTOR and AMPK signalling pathways. The suppression of autophagy promoted the anticancer effects of delphinidin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low ionic conductivity, narrow electrochemical window, poor interfacial stability with lithium metal, and non-degradability of raw materials are the main problems of solid polymer electrolytes, restricting the development of lithium solid-state batteries. In this paper, a biodegradable poly (2,3-butanediol/1,3-propanediol/succinic acid/sebacic acid/itaconic acid) ester was designed and used as a substrate to prepare biodegradable polyester solid polymer electrolytes for solid-state lithium batteries using a simple solution-casting method. A large number of ester-based polar groups in the amorphous polymer become a high-speed channel for carrying lithium ions as a weak coordination site. The biodegradable polyester solid polymer electrolyte exhibits a wide electrochemical window of 5.08 V (vs. Li/Li+), high ionic conductivity of 1.03 mS cm−1 (25 °C), and a large Li+ transference number of 0.56. The electrolyte exhibits good interfacial stability with lithium, with stable Li plating/stripping behavior at room temperature over 2100 h. This design strategy for biodegradable polyester solid polymer electrolytes offers new possibilities for the development of matrix materials for environmentally friendly lithium metal solid-state batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is a prevalent foodborne pathogen with a remarkable capacity to form biofilms on utensil surfaces. The Listeriolysin O (LLO) exhibits hemolytic activity, which is responsible for causing human infections. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect and mechanism of oregano essential oil (OEO) on L. monocytogenes , evaluated the effects on its biofilm removal and hemolytic activity. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of OEO against L. monocytogenes was 0.03 % (v / v). L. monocytogenes was treated with OEO at 3/2 MIC for 30 min the bacteria was decreased below the detection limit (10 CFU/mL) in PBS and TSB (the initial bacterial load was about 6.5 log CFU/mL). The level of L. monocytogenes in minced pork co-cultured with OEO (15 MIC) about 2.5 log CFU/g lower than that in the untreated group. The inhibitory mechanisms of OEO against planktonic L. monocytogenes encompassed perturbation of cellular morphology, elevation in reactive oxygen species levels, augmentation of lipid oxidation extent, hyperpolarization of membrane potential, and reduction in intracellular ATP concentration. In addition, OEO reduced biofilm coverage on the surface of glass slides by 62.03 % compared with the untreated group. Meanwhile, OEO (1/8 MIC) treatment reduced the hemolytic activity of L. monocytogenes to 24.6 % compared with the positive control. Molecular docking suggested carvacrol and thymol might reduce the hemolytic activity of L. monocytogenes. The results of this study demonstrate that OEO exhibits inhibitory effects against L. monocytogenes , biofilms and LLO, which had potential as natural antimicrobial for the inhibition of L. monocytogenes. [Display omitted] • Oregano essential oil (OEO) has antimicrobial activity in laboratory media and pork. • OEO caused oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in L. monocytogenes. • OEO disrupted cell membrane integrity and permeability. • OEO has biofilm scavenging activity at food contact surfaces. • OEO reduced the hemolytic activity of L. monocytogenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes a fabrication approach to Cu 2 ZnSnSe 4 thin films through the direct selenization of precursor films of the metal oxide mixture with elemental selenium at 550 °C for 40 min. The resulting films exhibit a well compacted morphology composed of crystallites of a few micrometers and having reliable photoelectric response in photoelectrochemical determination, suggesting the potential of photovoltaic applications of the films fabricated by this method. To investigate the formation pathway of the Cu 2 ZnSnSe 4 film in this direct selenization method, selenization reactions were carried out with individual Cu, Zn, and Sn oxides under the same conditions, and the results showed that the formation rate of Cu 2 ZnSnSe 4 from a mixture of metal oxides is comparable with that of Cu 2 Se formation, but faster than those of ZnSe and SnSe 2 formation. The facilitated selenization kinetics to form Cu 2 ZnSnSe 4 may be attributed to the oxidation state change of Cu(II) to Cu(I) and Sn(II) to Sn(IV) and the formation of cubic ZnO phase during the preparation of the mixture of metal oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium ion batteries (PIBs) have attracted considerable attention owing to their unique advantages. Nevertheless, the large radius of potassium ions and their sluggish kinetics hinder the further development of potassium ion batteries. In this study, mesoporous hard carbon nanospheres (PCN- x , where x corresponds to pyrolysis temperatures of 700 ℃, 800 ℃, and 900 ℃) have been successfully prepared from a facile hydrothermal and pyrolysis processes at different temperatures of phenolic resin precursor. The obtained PCN- x materials offer several advantages, including abundant active sites, favorable interlayer spacing (0.4113 nm), high specific surface area (574.7202 m2 g−1), and exceptional structural stability. These merits collectively contribute to enhancing the stability of potassium ion intercalation/deintercalation behavior and provide a high pseudocapacitive capacity. While used as anode materials for PIBs, these materials exhibit remarkable battery performance, including a superior initial charge capacity of 395.2 mAh g−1 at the current rate of 100 mA g−1, exemplary rate performance (209 mAh g−1 at 5 A g−1), and outstanding cycle stability, retaining a capacity of 249 mAh g−1 after 1000 cycles. The present work introduces a low-cost and straightforward method for the preparation of anode materials of PIBs and provides valuable insights into the energy storage field. [Display omitted] • Hard carbon nanospheres were prepared through annealing of phenolic resin precursor. • The obtained PCN-700 materials offer favorable interlayer spacing and high specific surface area. • PCN-700 presented superior initial charge capacity, excellent rate performance and outstanding cycle stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diosgenin (DIO) is a kind of steroid sapogenin derived from natural plants. It exerts strong anti-infection, antiallergy, antiviral, and antishock pharmacological properties. In this article, the protective effects of DIO against dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice were researched. Compared with the 2.5% DSS treatment group, 15 mg/kg body weight of diosgenin alleviated colitis disease, evidenced by the increased body weight, the decrease in the disease activity index, and the histological scores. Furthermore, 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing results demonstrated that DIO improved the colon homeostasis through modulating the gut microbiota, including increases in the relative abundance of several probiotic bacteria, such as Prevotellaceae (from 1.4% to 5.8%), Lactobacillus (from 12.3% to 29.7%), Mucispirillum (from 0.07% to 0.49%), and decreases in the pathogenic bacteria, such as Streptococcus (from 1.6% to 0.6%) and Pseudomonadaceae (from 0.004% to 0%). In addition, the concentration of gut microbial metabolites, total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), acetic acid, and propionic acid were significantly increased after DIO supplementation. In conclusion, our findings suggested that DIO attenuates DSS-induced colitis in mice by means of modulating imbalanced gut microbiota and increases in SCFA generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The rat renal alternations caused by administration of 30 mg/kg/day 3-MCPD for 28 days. • DIA-MS method was an efficient tool to unravel the toxicity mechanism of 3-MCPD. • 3-MCPD led to alterations in proteins related to metabolic pathway and oxidative phosphorylation. • Apoptosis and autophagy were involved in the development of 3-MCPD-induced nephrotoxicity. 3-Monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD), as a heat-induced food process contaminant, possesses strongly toxic effect on kidney. The present study focuses on characterizing the proteome and clarifying the underlying molecular regulatory mechanisms in a model of kidney injury in rats treated with 3-MCPD. Data-independent acquisition (DIA)-mass spectrometry (MS) based proteomics was used to identify dysregulated proteins in kidney tissues of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats treated with 30 mg/kg/day 3-MCPD by gavage for 28 days. It was found that a total of 975 proteins were deregulated after 3-MCPD treatment. Bioinformatic analyses revealed that several enzymes related to the metabolisms of amino acid, lipid and carbohydrate in endogenous metabolism were altered in response to 3-MCPD treatment. Moreover, some proteins involved in these pathways were also changed, mainly including oxidative stress, oxidative phosphorylation, apoptosis and autophagy. Our study unravels the vital roles of loss of mitochondrial homeostasis and function and cell death pathways in the development of renal damage induced by 3-MCPD, which provides further valuable insights into the initiation and resolution of 3-MCPD nephrotoxicity. The proposed DIA-MS workflow not only provides a choice for proteomic analysis in toxicological research, but also provides a more comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms of nephrotoxicity induced by toxins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) have attracted considerable attention owing to their large energy density and abundant reserves of sulfur element. However, the sluggish kinetics and shuttle effects. seriously inhibit the further application of LSBs. Extensive studies have conclusively demonstrated that separator modification was an effective strategy to enhance LSBs properties through the chemical adsorption and catalytic kinetic conversion of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). In this study, cobalt and ruthenium nanoalloys confined into nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (CoRu@N-CNTs) were prepared by one-step annealing method using melamine as carbon source. The obtained CoRu@N-CNTs exhibit plenty of advantages, including abundant CoRu bimetallic catalytical and nitrogen adsorption active sites, exceptional electrolyte wettability and high conductivity. Thanks to these merits, the CoRu@N-CNTs can provide ultrafast ion transfer channels, lots of anchoring for LiPSs and the catalytic conversion kinetics of LiPSs. When applied to modify Li–S batteries separator, the CoRu@N-CNTs modified separator presented an excellent initial specific capacity of 1134.22 mAh g−1 at 0.5C, good rate performance (686 mAh g−1 at 3C) and outstanding cycle performance with a capacity attenuate rate of only 0.107 % per cycle for 400 cycles. Furthermore, when the current density increased to 1C (S loading of 1.344 mg), it displayed a superior capacity attenuation rate of 0.09 %. When the S loading increased to 2.304/3.072 mg, it also demonstrated an outstanding cycle performance. This work provides a feasible strategy to modify the Li–S battery separator through synergistic integration of catalytic conversion and chemisorption of polysulfides. [Display omitted] • CoRu@N-CNTs were prepared through self-catalysis process to modify commercial polypropylene (PP) separator. • CoRu@N-CNTs-PP separator presented remarkable electrochemical and battery performance. • Synergistic effect of CoRu@N-CNTs display excellent immobilization-diffusion-conversion performance for LiPSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A high-throughput method is proposed to select a temperature-sensitive material with optimal performance. • A thin-film resistance temperature detector (TFRTD) compatible with the battery assembly process is designed and prepared. • The TFRTD can monitor the internal temperature of the TFRTD integrated battery with stable electrochemical performances. The high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are susceptible to thermal runaway and lead to safety incidents. Monitoring the internal temperature of LIBs is a promising way to forewarn its thermal runaway. However, the current external temperature sensors show high delay and poor accuracy, and the built-in temperature sensors are incompatible with the assembly process and may damage the battery. Thus, a reliable real-time internal battery temperature monitoring sensor is desired. In this study, a high-throughput selected thin-film resistance temperature detector (TFRTD) is proposed. The TFRTD is integrated between the collectors of the pouch LIB, which is compatible with the battery assembly process. The built-in TFRTD responds 82% faster and measures 33% more accurately than an external RTD, allowing real-time monitoring of internal battery temperature at different current rates. With a discharge rate of 0.5 C, the internal temperature can be monitored to be 0.57 °C higher than the external temperature in a battery with a capacity of only 0.1 Ah. Cycling tests show that the battery with a built-in TFRTD has a capacity retention rate of 92.71% after 100 cycles, and the TFRTD has a limited impact on battery performance. Therefore, the developed novel TFRTD can be used to analyze the battery heating process under different conditions and has some potential for engineering applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil-in-salt hollow fiber liquid phase microextraction coupled with high performance liquid chromatography ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) was developed for determination of the blood concentrations of the main active compounds, hesperidin, honokiol, shikonin, magnolol, emodin and β,β’-dimethylacrylshikonin, after oral administration of Zi-Cao-Cheng-Qi decoction (ZCCQD) and their total plasma protein binding rates. In the procedure, a hollow fiber segment was immersed in organic solvent to fill the solvent in the fiber lumen and wall pore, and then the fiber was immersed into sodium chloride solution to cover a thin salt membrane on the fiber wall pore filling organic solvent. Various factors affecting the procedure, such as extraction solvent, sample phase pH, stirring rate, extraction time, NaCl concentration and fiber immersion time in the NaCl solution, were optimized. Under the optimum conditions, good linearities (r 2 ≥ 0.9905), low limits of detection (0.7–2.5 ng/mL) or quantitation (1.2–12 ng/mL), satisfactory precision (2.6%-12.8%) and accuracy (81.0%–114.2%) of this method, were observed. The results showed that, after oral administration of a 25 g/kg dose, (1) the blood concentrations (at 0.5 h) of hesperidin, honokiol, shikonin, magnolol, emodin and β,β’-dimethylacrylshikonin were 0.45, 0.40, 0.48, 0.74, 0.11 and 1.11 μg/mL, respectively; (2) the total plasma protein binding rates of the six active compounds were 42.0% (hesperidin), 71.8% (honokiol), 64.6% (shikonin), 77.7% (magnolol), 75.3% (emodin) and 75.7% (β,β’-dimethylacrylshikonin), respectively. The proposed procedure coupled with HPLC shows obvious advantages, such as low solvent consumption, simple operation, high sensitivity and strong purifying and can be used for the determination of both the blood concentrations and total plasma protein binding rates of active compounds in traditional Chinese medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycotoxins like patulin (PAT) are among the most significant food contaminant with regard to public health. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of apigenin (API), one of the most bioactive flavonoids in plant-derived food, on PAT-induced apoptosis in HEK293 cells. Cells were treated under basic conditions, 8 μM PAT without or with API (2.5, 5 and 10 μM) concomitantly for 10 h. API exerted renoprotective effect by inhibiting intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, modulating oxidative phosphorylation especially elevating the expression of ATP synthase, re-establishing mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and maintaining higher intracellular ATP level, accompanied by p53, Bax downregulation and Bcl-2 upregulation. Thereby, cytochrome c release from mitochondria to cytoplasm was reduced, causing inhibition of initiator caspases-9 and executioner caspases (3, 6 and 7) expression and enzyme activities. Results revealed dietary apigenin attenuates patulin-induced apoptosis in HEK293 cells by modulating ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and caspase signal pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal allocation problem of distribution network (OAPDN), which attracts much attention of electric enterprise, contributes to the flexible and environmental-friendly power supply by rationally introducing distributed generations (DGs) and shunt capacitors (SCs). To smoothly solve OAPDN problems, several effective measures such as advantageous schemes guidance (ASG) mechanism are presented and integrated into the proposed modified gravitational search algorithm with expert experience (MGSA-EE). Multiple OAPDN experiments essentially indicate that the MGSA-EE with higher efficiency and stronger exploration capability reduces the power loss on 33, 69 and 119 node networks by 94.15%, 98.10% and 84.59%, which is superior to most published technologies. Furthermore, multi-objective OAPDN problem which simultaneously considers two or more goals is also studied. Compared with the single-objective one, it is more in line with the diverse demands of actual electricity market, but the difficulty is greatly increased as well. On this basis, this paper extends MGSA-EE to an innovative multi-objective MGSA-EE (MMGSA-EE) algorithm by the suggested non-inferior sorting strategy with constraints-prior. Most typically in multi-objective OAPDN experiments on large scale networks, MMGSA-EE achieves high-quality scheme that concurrently reduces power loss and voltage deviation of 69-node network by 94.07% and 98.69%. Meanwhile, several quantitative indicators also prove that the proposed MMGSA-EE has competitive advantages over the original algorithm in terms of Pareto fronts, node voltage profiles and execution time. In general, MGSA-EE and MMGSA-EE algorithms provide efficient tools for exploring superior DG/SC configuration schemes, and are of great significance to fill research gaps in multi-objective optimizations of distribution network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The enhanced Li+ transport is obtained in AAO-20 nanochannels through the pore sizes effects on transference number and ionic conductivity, preventing rapid Li+ depletion near the deposition substrate potentially. • Smaller Li nucleation overpotential and larger exchange current density in AAO-20 can directly reveal the enhanced kinetics at deposition interface, which is derived from the improved Li+ transport in nanochannels, leading to a superior Li deposition. • Stable Li deposition behavior in AAO-20 can achieve excellent cycling performances in different cells. The high theoretical capacity of lithium (Li) has sparkled its intensive research as the anode for Li batteries. However, the dendritic growth due to the uneven Li deposition causes premature cell failure and dramatically restricts the application of Li anode. Herein, inspired by the pore sizes effects of anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes on Li+ transport performance, 20 nm aperture membrane (AAO-20) with enhanced Li+ transport can achieve higher Li+ concentration near the deposition substrate, possibly preventing rapid Li+ depletion compared to other aperture sizes. Subsequently, smaller Li nucleation overpotential and larger exchange current density in AAO-20 reveal the enhanced kinetics at deposition interface, which is derived from the enhanced Li+ transport in nanochannels, leading to a superior Li deposition. With AAO-20 which can stabilize Li anode, Li-Cu, Li-Li, and Li-LiFePO 4 cells demonstrate high Coulombic efficiency, superior cycling stability, and excellent capacity retention, respectively. Such findings can be helpful for the development of high-energy Li metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Silica/CA–XG templated by bonding of alginate–xanthan gum of complex network. [•] Silica synthetically entrapped and condensed into the networks of CA–XG gel bead. [•] Silica/CA–XG composite of optimal stability, binding capability, macro/mesoporosity. [•] Pb(II) removal by chemical bonding process and intra-particle diffusion process. [•] Efficient Pb(II) removal and recovery from battery wastewater in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3-Chloro-1, 2-propanediol (3-MCPD) is a widespread food contaminant with kidney as the main target organ. The exploration of ingredients as intervention strategy towards 3-MCPD induced nephrotoxicity is needed. Diosgenin (DIO) is a steroidal saponin presented in several plants and foods. Here we assessed whether DIO attenuates nephrotoxicity induced by 3-MCPD using Human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The results showed that DIO (2, 6, 8 μM) increased cell viability and exerted inhibitory effect on caspase 3 and caspase 9 activities. Histological examination of rats showed that 15 mg/kg bw DIO ameliorated renal pathological changes caused by 3-MCPD (30 mg/kg bw). DIO also induced autophagy and the blockade of autophagy with 3-Methyladenine (3-MA) aggravated mitochondrial apoptosis induced by 3-MCPD in HEK293 cells. Moreover, treatment with DIO caused an increase in p-LKB1/LKB1 and p-AMPK/AMPK expressions and a decrease in p-mTOR/mTOR, p-ULK1(Ser757), p-P70S6K and p-4EBP1 expressions. Additionally, DIO improved mitochondrial dynamics mainly through inhibiting the relocation of DRP1 on mitochondria and enhancing MFN1 and MFN2 expressions. In conclusion, our study demonstrated for the first time that DIO protected against kidney injury induced by 3-MCPD through the induction of autophagy via LKB1-AMPK-mTOR pathway and the improvement of mitochondrial fission and fusion. [Display omitted] • Diosgenin alleviated nephrotoxicity induced by 3-MCPD in vivo and in vitro. • Autophagy induction contributes to the protective effect of diosgenin against 3-MCPD-induced kidney injury. • The improvement of mitochondrial dynamics by diosgenin protected against 3-MCPD-induced kidney injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jujuboside A (JuA) is a triterpenoid saponins isolated from the seed of jujube (semen Ziziphi spinosae) with anti-oxidant, anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis properties. The present study aimed to investigate the reno-protective effects of JuA on type II diabetes. JuA (20 mg/kg) and Metformin (Met, 300 mg/kg) were administrated to diabetic Sprague Dawley rat for 8 weeks daily. Our results showed that JuA reduced blood glucose and kidney function markers including 24 h urinary protein, urinary β-NAG/urinary creatinine, serum urea nitrogen, serum uric acid and serum creatinine, and relieved renal pathological changes. In addition, JuA decreased O 2 − and H 2 O 2 level, enhanced SOD, CAT and GPx activities, decreased NOX4 expression and improved mitochondrial respiratory chain function through regulating respiratory chain complex expression. Moreover, JuA downregulated the expressions of mitochondrial apoptosis proteins: Bax, CytC, Apaf-1 and caspase 9. Apoptosis mediated by ER stress also been inhibited by JuA via downregulating p-PERK, p-IRE1, XBP1s, ATF4, p-CHOP and caspase 12 expressions. JuA also enhanced autophagy and mitophagy via regulating CaMKK2-AMPK-p-mTOR and PINK1/Parkin pathways. Collectively, these results indicated that JuA protected against type II diabetic nephropathy through inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis mediated by mitochondria and ER stress. In addition, autophagy and mitophagy was enhanced by JuA. [Display omitted] • Jujuboside A relieved oxidative stress through inhibiting NOX4 and improving mitochondrial respiratory chain function in DN rat. • Jujuboside A enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities in DN rat. • Jujuboside A inhibited apoptosis induced by ER stress and mitochondria in DN rat. • Autophagy and mitophagy contributed to the protective effect of Jujuboside A on DN rat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring the health of lithium-ion batteries is extremely important as it can significantly improve the safety of lithium-ion batteries. In the present work, a novel lithium-ion battery health monitoring sensor array is prepared using piezoelectric/pyroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) and a thin-film transistor array by in-situ poling. Compared to the present technology that uses the characteristic parameters such as output voltage or internal resistance to predict the health state of lithium-ion batteries, the prepared sensor array can simultaneously realize the direct and real-time response and location of the dynamical mechanical and thermal damage, and can visualize and locate the quasi-static mechanical damage of the lithium-ion battery during its entire service life. Thus, the novel sensor array may provide sufficient advance warning of battery failure and enable more convenient replacement of damaged batteries, endowing it with immense potential for improving the safety of lithium-ion batteries. • PVDF-TrFE with high d33 value and good distribution by the in-situ poling. • The LBHMAS realize direct and in real-time health monitoring of battery. • The LBHMAS can locate and visualized several battery damages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strong spin–orbit coupling along with broken inversion symmetry in transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) results in spin polarized valleys, which are the origins of many interesting properties such as Ising superconductivity, circular dichroism, valley Hall effect, etc. Herein, it is shown that encapsulating few‐layer MoS2 between hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) and gating the electrical contacts by ionic liquid pronounce Shubnikov–de Haas (SdH) oscillations in magnetoresistance. Notably, the SdH oscillations remain unchanged in tilted magnetic fields, demonstrating that the spins of the Q/Q′ valleys are firmly locked to the out‐of‐plane direction; therefore, Zeeman energy is insensitive to the in‐plane magnetic field. Ionic liquid gating induces superconductivity on the surface of unencapsulated MoS2. The spins of Cooper pairs are strongly pinned to the out‐of‐plane direction by the effective Zeeman field, hence are protected from being realigned by an in‐plane magnetic field, namely, Ising protection. As a result, superconductivity persists in an in‐plane magnetic field up to 14 T, in which Tc only decreases by ≈0.3 K from Tc0 as ≈7 K. By applying back gate, the strength of Ising protection can be effectively tuned, where an increase in 70% is observed when back gate changes from +90 to −90 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of low-frequency ultrasound (US) combined with microbubbles (MBs) on breast cancer xenografts and explain its underlying mechanisms. A total of 20 xenografted nude mice were randomly divided into four groups: a group treated with US plus MBs (the US + MBs group), a group treated with US alone (the US group), a group treated with MBs alone (the MBs group), and a control group. In different groups, mice were treated with different US and injection regimens on an alternate day, three times in total. Histological changes, apoptosis of cells, microvascular changes, and the apoptosis index (AI) and microvascular density (MVD) of the breast cancer xenograft were analyzed after the mice were sacrificed. Results indicated that the tumor volume in the US + MBs group was smaller than that in the other three groups ( p < 0.001 for all). The rate of tumor growth inhibition in the US + MBs group was significantly higher than that in the US and MBs groups ( p < 0.001 for both). There were no significant differences in histological changes among the four groups. However, the AI was higher in the US + MBs group than that in the other three groups while the MVD was lower ( p < 0.001 for all). All in all, low-frequency US combined with MBs can effectively slow down the growth of breast cancer in nude mice. In summary, low-frequency US combined with MBs has a significant effect on breast cancer treatment. Cavitation, thermal effects, and mechanical effects all play a vital role in the inhibition of tumor growth., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (2024, National Center for Global Health and Medicine.)

Ternary nickel-rich layered oxide LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 (NCM811) is recognized as a cathode material with a promising future, attributed to its high energy density. However, the pulverization of cathode particles, structural collapse, and electrolyte decomposition are closely associated with the fragile cathode-electrolyte interphases (CEI), which seriously affect the electrochemical performances of ternary high-nickel materials. In this paper, fluorine- and nitrogen-containing methyl-2-nitro-4-(trifluoromethyl)benzoate (MNTB) was selected, which was synergistically regulated with fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) to generate a robust CEI film. The preferential decomposition of MNTB/FEC results in the formation of an inorganic-rich (Li 3 N, LiF, and Li 2 O) CEI film with uniformly dense and stable characteristics, which is conducive to the migration of Li + and the stability of the NCM811 structure and enhances the cycling stability of the battery system. Simultaneously, MNTB effectively suppresses the adverse reaction associated with increased polarization caused by higher interface impedance due to conventional single FEC additives, further improving the rate capability of the battery. Moreover, MNTB/FEC can effectively eliminate HF, preventing its corrosion on the NCM811 cathode. Under the synergistic effect of MNTB/FEC, after 300 discharge cycles at a high cutoff voltage of 4.3 V and a current density of 1 C (2 mA cm -2 ), the discharge capacity of the NCM811||Li battery was 150.12 mA h g -1 with a capacity retention of 81.10%, while it was only 32.8% for the standard electrolyte (STD). The discharged capacity of the MNTB/FEC-containing battery was about 115.43 mA h g -1 at the high rate of 7 C, which was considerably higher than that of the STD (93.34 mA h g -1 ). In this study, the designed MNTB as a novel solvent synergistically regulated with FEC will contribute to the enhanced stability of NCM811 materials at high cutoff voltages and at the same time provide an effective modified strategy to enhance the stability of commercial electrodes.

Granular-ball support vector machine (GBSVM) is a significant attempt to construct a classifier using the coarse-to-fine granularity of a granular ball as input, rather than a single data point. It is the first classifier whose input contains no points. However, the existing model has some errors, and its dual model has not been derived. As a result, the current algorithm cannot be implemented or applied. To address these problems, we fix the errors of the original model of the existing GBSVM and derive its dual model. Furthermore, a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is designed to solve the dual problem. The sequential minimal optimization (SMO) algorithm is also carefully designed to solve the dual problem. The latter is faster and more stable. The experimental results on the UCI benchmark datasets demonstrate that GBSVM is more robust and efficient. All codes have been released in the open source library available at: http://www.cquptshuyinxia.com/GBSVM.html or https://github.com/syxiaa/GBSVM.